Kolkata, May 16 -- BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh on Saturday indicated that references to the Singur land movement could be removed from school textbooks during future syllabus revisions.
Speaking at an education seminar at Netaji Indoor Stadium, the Baranagar MLA criticised what he described as politically influenced content in the school curriculum and said such portions would eventually be changed.
"These things will not remain," Ghosh said while comparing the inclusion of the Singur movement in textbooks with historical portrayals of Mughal rulers.
"History is presented in this way in one form or another. Akbar is portrayed as secular, and Shah Jahan as a symbol of love. The Mamata Banerjee issue is the same. So these things will change," he added.
In 2022, a chapter on the Singur land movement was included in the Class VIII history textbook alongside other agrarian and environmental movements. Apart from Banerjee, the chapter mentions several Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including Partha Chatterjee, Firhad Hakim, Bratya Basu, Subrata Bakshi and Mukul Roy.
Ghosh also accused the TMC government of commercialising education and alleged financial irregularities in colleges.
"They turned education into a commodity. The TMC government sold public education in the black market," he said.
Referring to alleged irregularities linked to the student union fund at Surendranath College, Ghosh claimed nearly Rs 1.5 crore had accumulated in an account meant for college social events. On Friday, he urged Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to order an investigation into the matter.
Ghosh also advocated the restoration of student union elections in colleges and universities. He blamed internal factionalism within the TMC for the prolonged delay and expressed hope that campus polling would resume this year.
"Elections are a right. No government has the authority to take away a right recognised by the UGC," he said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.